SAVANNAH, GA – Justin Florek’s heroics lifted the South Carolina Stingrays (15-5-2-1) over the Savannah Ghost Pirates (9-11-5-0) by a final score of 3-2 in overtime on Thursday night at Enmarket Arena.
Carter Turnbull gave the Stingrays the first lead of the contest at the 11:25 mark of the opening period. Turnbull carried the puck into the attacking zone and snapped a shot past the blocker of Savannah’s Isaiah Saville for his league-leading 15th goal of the season.
The Ghost Pirates evened the score with under four minutes remaining in the opening stanza on Connor Corcoran’s third marker of the year. Corcoran fired a rebound from the slot into the open net to tie the game at one goal apiece.
Turnbull regained the Stingrays' advantage 4:56 into the final period of regulation with his second goal of the contest. After picking off a pass in his own zone, Turnbull skated coast to coast and sent a shot over Saville’s blocker for the second time in the game for the 2-1 lead.
Savannah pulled Saville with 2:35 left in regulation following a South Carolina penalty that gave the Ghost Pirates a 6-on-4 power play. Brent Pedersen deflected a shot from Corcoran that beat Clay Stevenson for the tie game with 1:32 remaining to force overtime.
The Stingrays headed to a power play of their own after Savannah took a hooking call with three minutes left in overtime. Kevin O’Neil wound up and delivered a perfect pass to the tape of Florek for the deflection to beat Saville for the win.
The Stingrays return to action next Wednesday, December 28th when they return home to take on the Norfolk Admirals at the North Charleston Coliseum. Puck Drop is set for 7:05 p.m.
Stevenson made 32 saves on 34 shots to earn his sixth win of the season.
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